Species
Squid, Calamari & Cuttlefish
Description
Available wild-caught, these small cephalopods are found right along Australia’s east coast, from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Bass Strait and the eastern coast of Tasmania, in bays, estuaries and even brackish water, usually among seagrass to depths of about 50m.
They have large dark spots on their squat bodies with, yellow-pink colouring around the edges and large fins running half the length of their body.
Their name comes from organs on their ink sac which, fuelled by luminescent bacteria in the water, glow to help hide the Squid’s silhouette from predators.
Other Names
Bottle Squid.
Family
Loliginidae (Calamaries, inshore Squids).
Season
Available year round with limited supply.
Size and Weight
Can grow to about 8cm mantle length.
Price
Medium-high priced.
Relations
Californian Squid, Gould’s Squid, Loligo Squid, Northern Calamari, Southern Calamari.
To Buy
When purchasing fresh whole squid look for bright, intact pale skin, with dark spots, intact head, arms and tentacles and a pleasant fresh sea smell. Cleaned tubes should be white without any brown markings.
To Store
Make sure squid is gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC.
To Cook
To clean whole Squid: grasp the arms and pull firmly to separate head from tube (try not to break the ink sac, as the ink stains), cut below the eyes and discard head and guts, push beak (mouth) out from between the arms.
Remove quill, peel skin off by grasping side fins and peeling around the tube. Side fins can be peeled and used; arms and tentacles can also be washed and used.
If cutting tube into rings, wash inside well to remove any remaining gut, otherwise, cut tube open along the obvious seam, lay out flat and wipe the inside clean with a clean cloth. Slice into strips, or score in a hatch pattern (called ‘honeycombing’) and slice into larger chunks.
It is also possible to cook Squid without peeling it, the skin will darken as it cooks. Average yield is 80%. It has a mild, subtle flavour, low-medium oiliness, and is dry with firm texture, which can be tough if poorly prepared. The flesh is translucent when raw and white when cooked.
Cooking Methods
Steam, poach, deep-fry, pan-fry, stir-fry, bake, braise, grill, barbecue, raw (sashimi). To be tender, squid must be cooked very quickly over high heat or very slowly over low heat.
The flesh of the mantle, fins, arms and tentacles is suitable for a wide variety of preparations, whole tubes can be stuffed and baked, strips or rings can be dusted in seasoned flour and deep-fried or marinated and char-grilled or stir-fried.
The ink can be used to flavour and colour risotto or pasta (though Cuttlefish ink is traditionally used).
Goes Well With
Black beans, capers, capsicum, chilli, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, green onions, lemongrass, lemon, lime, mushrooms, olive oil, olives, potato, salad leaves, soy sauce, tomato.
Alternatives
Other Squid, Calamari, Cuttlefish and, in some recipes, Octopus.
Imports
While Luminous Bay Squid are native to Australia, various other species of squid are imported whole, as frozen tubes and pre-sliced rings.
Recipes
Crumbed Squid Rings
Squid & Apple Salad
Squid & Fennel Bruschetta
Stir-Fried Squid with Black Beans, Bok Choy & Noodles
Warm Asian Salad of Squid
Mixed Seafood Dishes
Bouillabaisse
Linguine ai Frutti di Mare
Seafood Teppanyaki
Vietnamese-style Stuffed Squid with Asian Slaw